Repeating circuits and method



June 1 1926. 1,586,584

C. P. SUPER REPEATING CIRCUITS AND METHOD Filed May 11. 1@921 POSITION B BALANClNG NETWORKS REPEATER POSITION c Mvenfor: Mar/es P Soper.

Patented June 1,. 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

exam-as 1*. 50mm, or onrcaoo, flamers, assmnon 'ro anncrmc ran, nrcoaroum, or mm 2031:, x. m, a conronarrox or raw 2031:.

- PENDING CIRCUITS AND IETHOD.

a pucauon mea an 11, 1921. Serial no. acacia This invention relates to repeating in electric circuits, and aims to accomplish such repeating satisfactorily with a smaller number of repeaters than the number of circuits which are to have re ater service, and to make the requisite num r of repeaters as small a number as'possible by having each of a plurality of repeaters adapted to serve any one of a number of circuits. The m- 'vention is, disclosed hereinafter with particular reference to its application to operators switching or cord circuits but the principle of the invention may also be applied in connection with other circuits, as

for instance automatic telephone circuits or semi-automatic .telephone' systems, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In connection with itsapplication to 0perators link circuits the invention .also aims to have one repeater serve one or more circuits atone switchboard position, one or more circuits at asecond switchboard position, and one or more circuits at at least one other switchboard position, one circuit at a time.

'As applied to operators link circuit the invention also aims to have one repeater serve each of a plurality of link circuits at- 80 one operators position and a circuitat another operators position, one circuit at a time. 1

v The invention also aims to have one repeater serve each of at least three link circuits one at a time, serving one circuit continuously throughout the duration of the message to be repeated in that circuit.

The invention also aims tohave a group of repeaters common to several operators positions and common toa number of link circuits at each operators position, and to enable an operator at any one of the positions to effect automatic selection of an idle repeater of such a group and connection of the selected repeater in any one of a .group of link circuits, at that position, in which a transmission gain is desired.

In the illustrative system disclosed hereinafter, embodying the invention applied to operators link circuits, each of the link circuits isprovided with an individual key which may be manually operated to connect its associated link circuit to a means, preferably a cross-bar switch common to all of the link circuits and all of the repeaters,

which automatically selects an idle repeater ,means for switching the repeater into the connecting circuit, and other switching arrangements may well be used instead of the cross-bar switch without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the c aims. 1

The accompanying drawing shows diagrammatically a preferred form of system embodying the invention in its application to operators link circuits.

In the drawing three switchboard positions, position A, position B, position C, are indicated. However, of the apparatus in-, dividual to position 'A, the drawing shows only a plug and jack 1; of the apparatus individual to position 0, the drawing shows only a plug and jack 3. The drawing shows at position B a plug and jack 5 of one cord, and a com lete cord 7 having branches 9 and 11, an terminated in plugs 13 and 15 which are adapted to be inserted into jacks such as 17 and 19 belonging to lines such as 21 and 23.

The branch 9 forms with plugs 13 and 15 an ordinary toll cord circuit. The branch 11 includes contacts of a cross-bar switch 25 of the general type shown in United States Patent to J. N. Reynolds, Serial No. 1,131,734, March 16, 1915, entitled 'Line switch, and a two-way repeater such as 27 or 29. A double throw key 31 normally connects the branch 9 between the plugs 13 and 15.

When a transmission gain is desired in a cord such as 7 the operator depresses the key 31 of that cord thereb disconnecting the branch 9 from the cord plugs such as 13-and 15 and connecting the branch 11 between the lugs. The depression of the key 31 also. c oses the contact 33 to connectground to a line 35 individual to this key. The line 35 extends ground to a cord magnet 37 individual to this cord. The cord magnet armature 39 has its free end shaped to form a cam surface, after the fashion of the cam member 58 of Patent 1,131,734 referred to above, so that when the armature The turns counter-clockwise about its pivot the camsurface turns the cord bar 41 counterclockwise as viewed from the right, and then, when the cord bar has been so turned, the continued motion of the armature slides the bar toward the left. The turning of the bar enga es one of the sets of contacts on the bar with a corresponding one of the sets of contacts on the particular one of the repeater bars such as 43 and 125 which happens to be in set position. In the drawing, the repeater bar shown as in set position 1s bar 43.- By the sliding of the cord bar 41 toward the left the contacts on the cord bar 41 which are in engagement with contacts on the repeater-bar 43 are brought into firm engagement with these contacts, and the unengaged terminals of the cord bar 41 are moved out of the path of other repeater bar contacts.

The'eng'agementof the cord bar contacts with the repeater bar contacts completes the circuitthrough the branch 11, b connectin into said branch the repeater 27 individua to repeater bar 43. Thus, the cord circuit 7 is completed through the repeater 27. part of this circult extending between plug 13 and one side of the repeater 27 may be traced as follows: from the ti conductor of plug 13, through contact 45 o the key 31, lead 47, strip 49 of the cord bar 41, strip 51 of the re eater bar 43, lead 53, through one side of t e repeater 27, lead 55, strip 57 of the repeater bar 43, strip 59 of the cord bar 41, lead 61, contact 63 of the key 31 to the ring terminal of the plug 13. The part of the cord circuit which extends between the plug 15 and the other side of the repeater 27 may be traced as follows: from the tip conductor of the plug 15, through contact 65 of the switch 31, lead 67, strip 69 of the cordtended ground to the lead 35 and thence to the cord magnet 37, the armature 85 of that magnet extended the ground from lead 35 to lead 87, thence to strip 89 of the cord bar 41, strip 91 .of the repeater bar 43, lead 93, blades 95 and 97 of switch 99, lead 101, the trip and slow acting set magnet 103 of the cross-bar switch, the armature 105 of the stepping magnet 107 of the cross-bar switch, to the grounded battery 109. Thetrip and set magnet 103 thereupon attracts its armature 111, to move the trip and set bar 113 of the cross-bar switch to the right. Pin 115 thereupon engages a preselected pin 117 on repeater bar 125 to turn counter-clockwise, viewed from above.- The manner in which the preselection of the pin is accomplished latch bar to turn the latch bar on its pivotsand thereby raise the latch 123 until the pin 117 has passed beneath the latch. When the pin has passed beneath the latch 123, the latch bar 119 reverses its direction of rotation about .its pivots, latching the. pin 117 so that its associated repeater bar 125 is held in set or selected position ready to have its contacts engaged by the intersecting contacts of the next cord to call for repeater service. As the latch bar 119 reaches its uppermost position, latch 127 releases pin 129, thereby releasing the repeater bar 43 which thereupon returns, with the exception of the contacts of the engaged set to normal position. As the repeater bar 125 is set it actuates the switch 131 to the position opposite the position in which it is shown in the drawing, by means of a pin 133 on said bar. As the repeater bar 43 is released from set position, switch 99 assumes the position opposite to that in which it is shown in the drawing. This operation of switch 99 breaks, at contacts 95, 97, the circuit of the set and release magnet 103, so that the set and release bar 113 is returned to the 'left by its biasing means (not shown). The closing of contacts 135, 137 of the switch 131 connects ground through said contacts, lead 139, the test contact 141, test wiper 143 and brush 145 of the test switch 147 of the crossbar switch,

lead 149, armature 151 of the stepping magnet 107 to the grounded battery 109. Thereupon the stepping magnet steps the set and release rod 113 around, by means of ratchet 153 until the test wiper 143 reaches a test contact which is not grounded. The test contact connected. to the switch, similar to switches 99 and 131, which corresponds to any idle repeater bar will be found to be ungrounded. On the other hand, the test contacts connected to the switches of the repeater bars in use will be found to be grounded, through a circuit corresponding to a circuit extending from ground through con tacts 33, lead 35, switch 85, lead 87, strip 89,

" strip 91, lead 93, contacts 95, contact 155,

found to be grounded, the ground connection being through a circuit correspondin to a circuit from test contact 159 throng lead 157 contact 155, and contact 161, to ground.

When the test wiper comes to rest on a test contact corresponding to an idle and unset repeater bar the pin such as pins 115 and 116 which is so located on the set and release venting the grounding of the test contact.

In order to prevent the. stepping magnet from continuing to operate in case all repeater bars except the set one are in use, the

test contact 163 electromagnetic switches such as 165 and 167, and contacts such as 169, 177, 173 and 175 are provided. Whenever there is an idle repeater bar in addition to the repeater bar which is in the set condition the test contact 163 will be found to be grounded through a circuit such as the circuit extending from the contact 163, lead 164, through the armature of the electro: magnetic switch 165, a lead 177, and the contacts 173 and 175 to ground. However, for each repeater bar which is in use a switch, such as switches 165 and 167, which corresponds to that bar will be open; for there will be a circuit through the switch magnet such as the circuit from ground through contacts 33, lead 35, switch 85, lead 87, strip 89, strip 91, lead 93, magnet 167 to grounded battery 179. The switch such as switches 165 and 167 which corresponds to the set repeater bars will be closed; but

the switch such as switches 167, 171 and 173, 175 which corresponds to the set repeater bar will be open. Therefore, the test wiper will remain on contact 163, when, but only when, there is no idle repeater bar in addition to the set'repeater bar.

After the test wiper has come to rest on the test contact 163, if the set repeater bar is called into service by the depression of a key such as 31, test contacts such as 169, 171 close, but its electromagnetic switch such as 167 becomes energized to form a gap in series with the contacts. Therefore, no ground for contact 163 is established through the armature of the switch such as switch 167 and no ground for the set magnet is established through the armature of any switch although all of the contacts such as 97, 181, and 183, 185, are in the closed condition.

Under such conditions the test wiper remains on contact 163 until a re eater bar ground. The test wiper will be steppedaround until it reaches the test contact corresponding to the idle repeater. That is the idle repeater bar will be preselected. Then,-

that bar will be set; for as soon as the stepping magnet ceases to vibrate its armature 105, the slow acting set and release magnet 103 will be energized through a circuit from grounded battery 109, through armature 105, magnet 103, lead 101, contact 97, contact 181, lead 187, contact 183, contact 185, lead 189, lead 164, the armature of the switch, such as switches 165, and 167, which correspond to the idle repeater, a lead such as 177 and contacts such as 173, 17 5 to ground. When the idle repeater bar has thus been set, it breaks its setting circuit at contacts such as 169, 171 and grounds its test contact through contacts such as 155, 161. The test wiper then proceeds to rotate until it comes to a test contact of an idle repeater or until it comes to test contact 163 where it remains until a repeater becomes idle.

When the operator raises the key 31, the opening of contacts 33 deenergizes magnet 3 so that armatures 39 and 85 are released. Upon the releasing of the armature 39 the cord bar 41 is returned to its normal posithe set of contacts on repeater bar 43 spring back to their normal position. Thus the repeater 27 is disconnected from the branch 11 of the cord and is available for connection in another cord. The releasing of the armature 85 disconnects ground from the strip 89.

The raising of key 31 also disconnects the branch 11 from the cord circuit by opening contacts 45, 63, 65 and 83.

The raising of key 31 also connects the branch 9 into the cord circuit, by closing contacts 191, 193 and 195, 197. As stated above this branch 9 forms with plugs 13 and tion by its biasing means (not shown) and 15 an ordinary toll cord circuit, which may I '273, being associated with a key, such for example as the key 31, individual to that set and to the cord in which the key is connected and to the cord bar to which the set is connected. The cords in which these keys are connected may be distributed in several operators positions, each of the positions having one or more of these cords individual to that position. Thus a single cross-bar switch may serve a number of switchboard positions, so that an operator at any one of these positions may actuate any one of several keys for initiating the operation of the cross-bar switch to automatically select and 'connect into a cord at that position and individual to the actuated key an idle one of a plurality of repeaters.

When a repeater is associated with a telephone line it is usual to associate with 'the repeater an artificial balancing line or network (or several such networks) such as indicated at 300. In connection with the system of this invention any suitable means may be provided in the balancing networ Is to a repeater when the repeater is connected with a telephone line. These means may be, for instance, of the type disclosed in the application of Roy D. Conway, Serial No.'268,466, filed December 27, 1918, entitled Telephone repeater systems assigned to the assignee of this application, on which Patent No. 1,442,425, dated Jan. 16, 1923, was granted. Since these means form no part of the invention their disclosure is not attempted herein, but in order to indicate that in practice the system of this invention may be provided with such means the balancing networks 300, and the relays 301, 303, 305 and 307 andv associated circuits including switch contacts 309 and 311 and leads 313 and- 315 to 318, are shown in the drawing as indicating .such means. The relays 303 and 307 in conjunction with the relays 301 and 305, the switches 309 and 311, the leads 313 and 315 to 318 and relays, not shown, in the repeater 27 or 29, operate to connect the appropriate networks to the repeater, and the relays 301 and 305 are made marginal so that they will maintain the lines such as 21 and 23 disconnected until the connection of the networks to the repeater has been completed, .in order to avoid disagreeable clicks over the lines.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a signaling system, a pluralit switchboard positions, a switching lin at one of said positions, a plurality of switching links at another of said positions, and a plurality of two-way repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in said link at said one position and one of said links at said other position, one of said repeaters being adapted to be connected in a plurality of said links at said other position.

2. In a signaling system,"a plurality of switchboard positions, a switching link at one of said positions, a plurality of switching links at another of said ositions, a plurality of repeaters each 0? which is adapted to be connected in any one of said links, and means whereby an operator at any one of said positions can automatically select and connect into any one of said links at that position an idle one of said repeaters.

3. In a signaling system, a plurality of switchboard positions, a link circuit'at one of said positions, a plurality of link circuits at another of said positions, a plurality of repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said link circuits, a manually operable switch individual to each of said link circuits, and means responsive to operation of the switch of any one of said link circuits for automatically selecting and connecting into said link circuit an idle one of said repeaters.

4. In a signaling system, a. plurality of switchboard positions, a link circuit at one ractice for connecting said means comprising a. manually operable meaese of said positions, a plurality of link circuits at another ofsald positions, a plurality of repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said link circuits, and means comprising a cross-bar switch whereby an operator at any one of said positions can automatically select and connect into any one of said link circuits at that position an idle one of said repeaters. A

5. In a signaling system, a plurality of. switchboard positions, a link circuit at one of said positions, a plurality of link circuits at another of sald positions, a plurality of repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said link circuits, and means whereby an operator at.

any one of said positions can automatically 1 select and-connect into any one of said link circuits at that position an idle one of said circuits.

7. In a signaling system, a plurality of switching links, a plurality of two-way. repeaters' each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said links, and means whereby an operator can automaticall select and connect into any one of said inks an idle one of said repeaters.

'8. In a signaling system, a plurality of circuits, a plurality of repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said circuits, 9. contact device individual to each of said circuits, and means responsive to operation of the contact device of any one of said circuits for automatically selecting and connecting into said circuit an idle one of said repeaters.

9. In a signaling system, a' plurality of link circuits, a plurality of two-way repeaters each of which is adapted to be connected in any one of said circuits and means comprising a cross-bar switch whereby an operator can automatically select and connect into any one of said circuits an idle one of said repeaters.

10. The method of repeating messages in A at least three switching links which comprises connecting the same repeater in each of said links one at a time, and maintaining said repeater connected in said one link continuously throughout the duration of the message to be repeated in that link.

11. A plurality ofcircuits, a plurality of amplifiers, and means for connecting each of said amplifiers in any one of said circuits,

means and. means operable in response to the operation of said manually operable means for selecting an idle one of said amplifiers.

12. In a signaling system, a plurality of connecting circuits, a plurality of repeaters or amplifiers, contact devices, one associated with each of said connecting circuits, electrically operated switching mechanism, and

means operated incident to the actuation of one of said contact devices to cause said 10 switching mechanism to operatively connect an idle amplifier in the corresponding connecting circuit.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this fourth day of May A. D., 1921.

CHARLES P. SOPER. 

